The present invention concerns a method and a device for determining length, area, and volume using a distance measuring device.
A method and a device for measuring area and volume was made known in DE 198 48 628 A1, which said device is based on the fact that, from a central point in the space to be measured, all spacial and surface corner points to be detected are pointed at and acted upon by a laser beam. The 3D values of the corner points are determined by the reflected laser beam based on the distance and the associated angles, and a true-to-scale drawing is created. The device disclosed in DE 198 48 628 A1 includes a laser distance measuring device comprising a laser transmitter and a laser receiver that is attached to a stand via a tilting and rotating device for positioning and for measuring angles. The device disclosed in DE 198 48 628 A1 also includes a telescopic sight and an electronic evaluation unit for capturing and transmitting data on angles and distances, and a computer connected therewith.
The method disclosed in DE 198 48 628 A1 is extremely expensive and requires a relatively long preparation period on the part of the operator, since a reference coordinate system, among other things, must be determined in advance of every measurement. Moreover, an additional external computer is needed for the method presented that has a further negative impact on the costs and the user friendliness of this measuring system.
A laser distance measuring device (xe2x80x9cDLE 30 Laser plusxe2x80x9d) is made known in the catalog entitled xe2x80x9cGewerbliche Elektrowerkzeuge: Bosch Programm 2000/2001xe2x80x9d from Robert Bosch GmbH, D-70442, Stuttgart, Germany, with which said device length, area and volume can be measured. This device has a multi-line display panel in which, when a measurement mode is selected (for measuring either length, area, or volume), the type of measurement and the lengths to be measured are presented using icons.
Moreover, the xe2x80x9cDLE 30 Laser plusxe2x80x9d laser distance measuring device has a keypad, each button of which is associated with a measurement mode. By pressing one of these buttons, the measurement mode associated with this button is selected, and the desired measurement variable can be determined by starting the measuring procedure.
This device has the disadvantage that the measurement signal used is a laser beam that absolutely must not strike the eye of the operator or the eyes of anyone else present in the surroundings where the measurement takes place, because this can cause irreversible damage to the retina. This measuring device is also relatively large and heavy for a handheld measuring device.
The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a method and a device for calculating length, area and volume that provides relatively accurate measured results and that the operator finds easy and intuitive to learn and that are safe to operate.
The method according to the invention and the device operating according to this method for measuring length, area, and volume have the advantage that the desired measurement mode can be selected and changed using just one button on the keypad.
As a result, the keypad on the measuring device is clearly arranged, which makes the device easy to understand and operate.
A measurement mode selected once via the unequivocal measurement mode button on the device is shown in a schematic, graphic presentation in the display panel and can therefore be easily monitored by the operator.
With the method according to the invention, the operatorxe2x80x94after selecting the desired measurement modexe2x80x94advantageously need only carry out individual length measurements that an integrated computer in the measuring device evaluates after the required measurements are completed and automatically determines the desired area or volume dimensions and presents them immediately in the display panel of the measuring device.
The display panel of the measuring device according to the invention displays the most recently measured value along with the length, area or volume dimension determined by the computer.
The ease of use and intuitive understandability of the measuring device are supported by the fact that, by means of the method according to the invention, the operator is instructed via the display panel as to which path measurements are still required in order to determine an area or volume dimension. The operator is requested via an icon-based, graphic presentation in the display panel of the measuring device to perform the length measurements required. This results in a nearly self-explaining measuring device. No training or studying of extensive operating manuals are required with the measuring device according to the invention.
An aspect that also contributes advantageously to the safe and simple use of the measuring device is the fact that the operator is informed via the display panel of the device if the measuring procedure is still underway. The completion of each individual measurement is indicated by means of an additional signal, such as an acoustic signal, for example.
In terms of the ease of use of the measuring device, it is also advantageous that the measurement direction can be indicated by means of an optical signal output with the actual measurement signal. If an ultrasonic distance measuring device is used, the reference point pointed at with the device can be checked.
An electronic memory integrated in the measuring device makes it possible to advantageously store measured values, to add different measured values, and to recall stored measured values and present them in the display panel of the measuring device.
The computer integrated in the measuring device, and its electronic memory can be advantageously operated via buttons on the operating panel of the measuring device.